Football Focus Online - Latest Football News

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Djibril Cisse continues his career revival with another goal for Sunderland

Being a Liverpool fan I've always liked Djibril Cisse and am glad to see he's banging them in for Sunderland. He got the winner against Blackburn yesterday and that make it a respectable four goals in eleven games.

Djibril Cisse - leg break

Cisse has had a torrid time over the years, not least of which where two career threatening leg breaks, which severely disrupted his time at Liverpool. I've always thought all he needed was time and patience to get back to his best, and now he seems to be getting there. I think Cisse will prove to be a great player for Sunderland. He's got pace to burn, and is a great finisher!

Djibril Cisse will be one of the top scorers in the Premier League this season and will get back to his pre leg-break from. Mark my words!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Speaking to the club’s official website ahead of the win against West Brom, Daniel Agger admitted he was at a loss to explain the result at White Hart Lane. He said: “I don't think I can explain the defeat at Tottenham, but the result certainly wasn't good enough.”

Daniel Agger

Daniel Agger admitted Liverpool had created more than enough chances and only had themselves to blame for the shock loss.

Agger is clearly happy just to be back in the Liverpool side, after missing nearly a year through injury, and see first Sami Hypia and Martin Srktel play exceptionally well in his place. He has looked a bit ring rusty at times, and will have to get back to his best soon, or Skrtel will be straight back in the team when fit.

Daniel Agger only has to look at the clean sheets pre and post Skrtel to be worried! Having said that he's a class player who only needs time to settle back in. We've every confidence in Daniel Agger to help Liverpool back to those shut-outs.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

David Villa insists goals will still be the main game for his offensive Valencia Team

David Villa

David Villa has defended Valencia's attacking mind-set despite them being taught a lesson in counter-attacking football last Saturday as they conceded four goals on the break against a cunning Racing outfit. Valencia striker David Villa openly admits their all out attacking play cost them the game at the Mestalla.

“The team showed great spirit and attitude and we went for the game right from the start, and perhaps that is why we lost,” he was quoted as saying by Marca. “Maybe if we were more balanced, they would not have caught us on the counter, but our philosophy is to always attack and take the game to our opponents,” he added.

David Villa remains certain his team will bounce back from this set-back to challenge for the Spanish title along with the big guns of Real Madrid and Barcelona. Foot Focus hopes they do! It would be great to see Valencia lift the title again, and break the big-guns monopoly. Lets hope David Villa and his goals shoots them to the title! Premier League NewsAd:Make adult friends for meetings, email, phone, cams or whatever. Join free today. Over 18's only.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Robbie Keane goes to his old Tottenham Hotspur stamping ground on Saturday with a glowing vote of confidence from his Liverpool manager, Rafael Benitez. In the latest Liverpool news Benitez believes players like Robbie Keane have made Liverpool, the leaders of the Premier League, superior even to his 2005 Champions League winners.

Keane took time to settle at Anfield following his £20million summer move from White Hart Lane but Benitez has no doubts Robbie the Irishman will prosper and add to his tally of two goals. "He has experience and he knows in a top side like Liverpool you have to win, to score goals, but he is working very hard,'' Benitez said.

"People talked about the work-rate of [Dirk] Kuyt and now he is scoring goals and Robbie Keane will be the same. Desire is the key word. He has passion. He's a Liverpool fan.''

Benitez, who reiterated his view that Spurs made a mistake in sacking Juande Ramos, will decide this morning whether to start Fernando Torres, who has recovered from his hamstring problem, or continue with Robbie Keane as his central striker.

Keane can play wide but Benitez argued that his best position was "clearly as a second striker or one of the strikers with some freedom because he has good movement''. The arrival of Keane and the Spanish winger, Albert Riera, has enhanced Benitez's belief in the team.

"We won the Champions League because it was a good team,'' the Liverpool manager said. "Now this team I feel is a little bit better. We knew technically Riera is good. Physically he is a good player for the Premier League. He is a winner. He takes responsibility.''

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo, after winning on Monday the FIFPro Player of the Year - an award judged by his fellow professionals - and scoring a double for Manchester Unit, insisted that talk regarding his body language is wide off the mark.

Cristiano Ronaldo said: "People are always writing things about me. It is up to them; for me it is not a problem. I will just try to play well and do my best. I am just focused on playing good football."

Still, since returning from an ankle operation lastmonth, Ronaldo admitted that he has not rediscovered the devastating form that saw him score 42 goals to help United to the Champions League and Premier League titles last term.

Ronaldo said, he was focussing on playing well: "I know last year was magnificent. It is still possible this season....my priority is not only to score goals. I don't have to do that. I just have to play well for the team. I just want to keep proving to myself that I am a good player" Cristiano Ronaldo proving he's a good player?? Whatever he says Ronaldo also has to prove he wants to stay at Manchester United.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Football News: Newcastle in freefall as Liverpool & Everton wait for Owen

Football news circulating on the internet has it that Michael Owen is wanted by Liverpool and Everton. Meanwhile Newcastles season is going into freefall, as they lost 3-1 to West Ham, with what can only be described as a hapless performance.

Reports are that Everont and Liverpool will approach Owen during the winter with a view to convincing the England hitman to complete a free transfer at the end of the season.

The 28-year-old was in and out of contract negotiations all summer long. The Toon at one point attempted to ease their cash-flow crisis by slashing 20 per cent off his wages, while later reports suggested a bumper £140,000-per-week deal was on the horizon.

The Tynesiders have been mired in turmoil ever since Kevin Keegan's dramatic resignation as manager two weeks ago: a replacement has still to be found and owner Mike Ashley, shocked by the levels of vitriol from supporters, has put the club up for sale, albeit at a prohibitive asking price of 450 million pounds (823 million dollars).

Such strife occasionally triggers a doughty defiance, but not with Newcastle. They slumped to an embarrassing home defeat to newly-promoted Hull last weekend and this performance, which leaves them second from bottom of the table, bordered on the shambolic, despite a late flurry prompted by Michael Owen's well-taken goal.

West Ham, sensing Newcastle's nerves, were in no mood for sympathy. It took them just seven minutes to break through, although even this was overdue. Etherington and Di Michele had already seen shots blocked before the latter finally cracked the Newcastle rearguard. After that the inevitable defeat followed.

Football news of this kind is only more torture for the poor Geordie fans. Their club is being dragged into the gutter by a woeful management team. Ashley, Wise and co have simply not got a clue about what it takes to run such a big and well supported club. The sooner they leave and Newcastle get some stability the better!

The latest Manchester City news lis that defender Micah Richards has heaped praise on new signing Robinho, saying he has impressed his teammates with the amount of work he gets through.

Richards said: "It is not just about his tricks. He has got a good work rate, he works for the team. He could have been a star who came here and cared about himself but he really cares about the team and wants us to do well."

Manchester City meet Portsmouth on Sunday in their latest Premier League game and Micah Richards sees a bright future at Man City. The completion of the £210million takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group is imminent and is expected to give the club Chelsea like power in the transfer market.

Richards, who graduated to the first team from the academy, said: "This is a great place to be at the moment. I've always said we are going to do something. Hopefully with the financial backing we are getting we can go out and win a trophy."

Well given the dross served up by various management teams at Manchester City in the last decade you can only wish for the supporters sake he is right! Manchester City are certainly in the news lately, and it can't be bad if they Premier League ends up with five teams battling for four places!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Arsenal Premiership: Class gap a chasm as Blackburn given the run-around

Arsenal and their Premiership ambitions were given a huge boost after this performance. Star of the show, was England man Walcott.

Walcott’s pace and vision made the opening goal for Robin van Persie and his continual pacey runs constantly showed up the immobile Blackburn defence and midfield. Arsenal confirmed that more than ever the Premiership 'big four' and the rest have a massive gulf in class.

Walcott's substitution in the second half left it to Emmanuel Adebayor, who promptly helped himself to a hat-trick. You got the thought, that this game may even have prompted Ince to even consider the possibility of switching to the basket case that is St James’ Park.

However at Blackburn, he at least has his fate in his own hands here and you don't meet Arsenal storming the Premiership every week.

Walcott apart, Arsenal went coasted through the game and passed their way past Blackburn with a minimum of physical or mental effort.

Blackburn briefly sensed they were still in contention only for Adebayor to deliver a reality check after a glorious phase of possession by Arsenal just before half-time. That made it 2-0 and there was only one outcome after that.

Arsenal really will be a Premiership force again this season, despite the higher resources of rivals. You can't help thinking that the Premiership is lucky to have a club like Arsenal to act as a counterbalance to the unseemly way some clubs are run. Arsenal are a club truly built on the values of the beautiful game!